Hat assembly

ABSTRACT

A hat assembly which includes a hat dimensioned to be worn on a person&#39;s head. A container having a pocket dimensioned to receive personal items, such as keys or credit cards, is detachably secured to the hat.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/883,409 filed Jan. 4, 2007, which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

I. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to a hat assembly having a container detachably secured to a hat.

II. Description of Related Art

Many people wear hats, such as baseball caps, for informal affairs. For example, many people wear baseball caps when going to the gym for exercise, sporting events, when engaging in yard work and the like. Furthermore, many people own a plurality of hats or baseball caps.

In some situations, for example when exercising at a gym, it is inconvenient to carry a wallet or a purse. In such situations, however, it is desirable to carry certain items that are normally carried in a wallet or purse. For example, it is oftentimes desirable to carry keys, some money, credit cards, and the like. However, certain apparel, such as exercise apparel, oftentimes contain no pockets in which such personal items may be carried.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The present invention provides a hat assembly containing storage means for personal items, such as keys, credit cards, and the like.

In brief, the hat assembly of the present invention includes a hat which is dimensioned to be worn on a person's head. A container includes a pocket which is dimensioned to carry personal items, such as keys, credit cards, some money, etc.

The container is detachably secured to the hat by any conventional means, such as a hook-and-pile fastener. As such, the container may be simply detachably secured to any of a number of different hats.

The container, which may be rectangular in shape, preferably includes an opening to the pocket within the container. A flap on the container is then movable between an open and closed position. In its open position, the flap exposes the opening so that personal items may be inserted into or removed from the container pocket. Conversely, with the flap in its closed position, the flap overlies the opening to the pocket and thus secures the personal items within the pocket in the container.

The flap is preferably detachably secured in its closed position by any conventional means, such as a snap, hook-and-pile fastener and the like.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

A better understanding of the present invention will be had upon reference to the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view illustrating a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view illustrating one side of the container according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary exploded elevational view showing the reverse side of the container according to the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is a bottom elevational view of a hat adapted to receive the container.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

With reference first to FIGS. 1 and 4, an exemplary hat assembly in accordance with the present invention is illustrated. That hat assembly includes a hat 12, such as a baseball cap, having an interior 14. The interior 14 of the hat is dimensioned to fit over the top of a person's head when the hat is worn.

With reference now to FIGS. 2 and 3, a storage container 16 is illustrated as generally rectangular in shape although other shapes may be employed without deviation from either the spirit or the scope of the invention. The container 16 includes an interior pocket 18 which is dimensioned to receive small personal items, such as credit cards, keys, money and the like. An elongated opening 19 in the container 16 provides access to the pocket 18.

The container 16 further includes a flap 20 which is movable between an open position, illustrated in FIG. 2, and a closed position, illustrated in FIG. 3. In its open position, the flap 20 uncovers the opening 19 so that personal items 21 may be inserted into or removed from the pocket 18. Conversely, in its closed position, the flap 20 overlies the opening 19 thus retaining the personal items 21 within the container pocket 18.

The container 16 and flap 20 are preferably of a one-piece construction. Furthermore, the container 16 and flap 20 may be constructed of any convenient material, but is preferably made of a flexible material, such as cloth, plastic or the like.

Preferably, means 22 are provided for detachably securing the flap 20 in its closed position. The detachable securing means 22 may comprise, for example, a snap, a hook-and-pile fastener and/or the like.

With reference now to FIGS. 3 and 4, the container 16 is detachably secured to the interior 14 of the hat 12. Although any conventional means may be used to detachably secure the container 16 to the hat 12, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, one part 26 of a hook-and-pile fastener is secured to the hat 12 by any conventional means, such as an adhesive. The other part 24 of the hook-and-pile fastener is then secured to the container 16 preferably on the side of the container 16 opposite from the flap 20 when closed. Any conventional means, such as an adhesive, may be utilized to secure the part 24 of the hook-and-pile fastener to the container 16.

In practice, the container 16 may be easily and rapidly detachably secured to a plurality of different hats 12. For example, assuming that the hook-and-pile fastener is utilized to detachably secure the container 16 to the hat 12, it is only necessary that the part 26 of the hook-and-pile fastener be attached to the different hats 12. Thereafter, the container 16 may be easily transferred between different hats as desired.

From the foregoing, it can be seen that the present invention provides both an accessory for a hat 12 as well as a hat assembly that provides for easy and convenient storage of personal items within the interior of the hat. Having described my invention, however, many modifications thereto will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which it pertains without deviation from the spirit of the invention as defined by the scope of the appended clams. 

1. A hat assembly comprising: a hat dimensioned to be worn on a person's head, a container defining a pocket dimensioned to receive personal items, and an attachment member which detachably secures said container to said hat.
 2. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said attachment member comprises a hook-and-pile fastener having two parts, one of said parts being secured to said hat and the other of said parts being secured to said container.
 3. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said container includes an opening through which personal items are inserted into said pocket, and a flap movable between a closed position in which said flap overlies and covers at least a portion of said opening, and an open position in which said opening is exposed to enable the insertion and removal of personal items into and from said pocket.
 4. The invention as defined in claim 3 and comprising means for detachably securing said flap in said closed position.
 5. The invention as defined in claim 4 wherein said detachable securing means comprises a hook-and-pile fastener.
 6. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said container is rectangular in shape.
 7. An accessory for a hat comprising: a container defining a pocket dimensioned to receive personal items, and an attachment member which detachably secures said container to the hat.
 8. The invention as defined in claim 7 wherein said attachment member comprises a hook-and-pile fastener having two parts, one of said parts being secured to said hat and the other of said parts being secured to said container.
 9. The invention as defined in claim 7 wherein said container includes an opening through which personal items are inserted into said pocket, and a flap movable between a closed position in which said flap overlies and covers at least a portion of said opening, and an open position in which said opening is exposed to enable the insertion and removal of personal items into and from said pocket.
 10. The invention as defined in claim 9 and comprising means for detachably securing said flap in said closed position.
 11. The invention as defined in claim 10 wherein said detachable securing means comprises a hook-and-pile fastener.
 12. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said container is rectangular in shape. 